Topic: how long can a dr. wait to bill you -- horror story!!!
randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
i am so upset i could sit down and squall. i'll try to make this short.
when i was first diagnosed i went to a llmd recommended to me. his office assured me they took my insurance. stupid stupid me did not check with my insurance company.
after about 5 visits i could not tolerate the man, personality issues, etc. won't go into detail but there had been other complaints.
then he started billing my insurance company. this was in nov 05 to jan 06. i paid 50 for office visits.
ok, he has now billed my insurance for almost 5 grand. they disapproved most of it, paying about 2100 dollars.
he charged 75 for office visits, 250 for consultations and sometimes 300-400 for lab work. i personally know that he billed for lab work i did not have done.
so today i get two more bills from my company saying they paid the minimum because he was out of network and they were not paying. shows i owe 1800 for two visits.
this man's staff assured me everything would be fine. hell, it's not. i'm livid.
anyway i figured i could owe him as much a around 2500 to 3 grand since the insurance company denied his statements.
i've never heard of a dr. charging 75 for an office visit and then another 250 for consultation on top of that. that's criminal, pure meanness and taking advantage of lyme patients.
the lab bills are enormous. my insurance company wrote him a letter and told him to stop billing, they paid all they were going to.
so how long is he going to do this? i mean, here it is june 2007 and he is still billing for visits in 2005.
does this mean he's going to start billing me? he's never so far but i'm in a panic.
my husband doesn't know about this and with him retiring in two weeks, i'm terrified.
has anybody ever heard of dr's billing patients years afterwards? i don't dare call his office for fear they will say "pay immediately".
i'm just furious....and besides he wasn't that great of a llmd either...........
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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AZURE WISH
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 804
posted
So sorry you are being caused so much stress.
Is it possible that back when you saw him he actually was in network since it wasnt this year.
Drs do change what insurance companies they participate in and if he did participate then and he is billing now things might not have gotten catorgorized correctly.
Also I never heard of a dr charging basically 2 dr fees for one visit.
I would want to know exactly how they define "consultation charge" and " office fee" like what specifically are they charging for in that.
Also If you move this post to general or medical you will get more responses.
I hope you dont have to end up paying all that money.
randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
he billed my insurance company in 2006 and was paid about 2100.
here he is billing them again in 2007 for visits they have already paid on. they denied his claim in 2006 but paid out of network fees which was only minimal.
i think he's trying to get more money from them.
and, yes, i also have never heard of a doctor billing two charges for an office visit.
i posted here because i was afraid it was not truly a medical question but sort of related and didn't want to clog up that board.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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just don
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1129
posted
Randibear, I would WAIT till he bills you, IF he doesnt,water under the bridge.
IF he does I would jump up and down on him with both feet and 'demand' to know what the bills are for and an itemization.
get out your records as best you can muster and TURN him IN for any thing billed and NOT rendered service for.
ASK for the test results and the like on any you wonder about. YOU should have a copy anyway!!
I think I remember somebody in your neck of the woods that complained about SAME thing as you.(wonder if its the same doc???)It obviously isnt the first time for this quacky quack
Have you paid this clown what you THOUGHT you owed as you go?? OR did he say I will bill you later,,,three years later???
HOPE he never bills you,leave it go then!!!hopefully--just don--
-------------------- just don Posts: 4548 | From Middle of midwest | Registered: May 2001
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
I am having the same problem with Quest Labs.
I've had tons of bloodwork and tests done at the hospital, local labs and Quest also.
I have never received a bill from any other lab...
Quest sent me a bill for over $1000.00, even tough they are contracted with my insurance co.
Called BC/BS who said that I am not responsible for that bill.....as they have a contract with them.
Whatever is not covered under insurance is a doctor's write off (whatever that means).
I have sent this info to Quest several times, and now I am officially in "collection".
My insurance company says they will bill me to try to get me to pay for tests....sometimes
They scare someone into paying them.
Great. Of all the hundreds of tests I've had done, Quest has me in "collections".
I am NOT paying that bill. I have thought about having my attorney send them a letter for harassment though.
Not like we have enough to deal with....
Hang in there.
If for some reason the doctor's office sends you a bill,
I would call them and tell them "what" I would pay.
I would either pay for the consultation or the office visit....not both.
You may be able to work the bill down to a more manageable load.
Since this LLMD was out of network, you may be responsible for some of these monies....
However, since that LLMD said he would accept your insurance.......You may have more ground to stand on.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
this is the same doctor that i've heard other complaints about.
another good reason to stay away from him.
i talked to his office manager about a year later. she quit his office and told me they didn't know what they were doing, had terrible records, and now i know why...
i would never ever recommend him.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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stymielymie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10044
posted
DO NOT PAY ONE CENT TO THIS DOCTOR UNTIL YOU GET A BILL AND RECORDS OF TREATMENT.
ANY PAYMENT EVEN $5 PER MONTH ,IF ACCEPTED BY THE DOCTOR IS IN LEGAL TERMS CONSIDERED AN UNWRITTEN CONTRACT.
HE MUST HONOR IT ,BUT YOU MUST ALSO HONOR IT. IF HE SENDS YOUR $5 BACK THEN THERE IS NO CONTRACT AND HE CAN GO AFTER YOU.
BUT YOU CAN GO AFTER HIM. HE MAY HAVE NO CASE ,IF HIS RECORDS ARE BAD. YOU MOST LIKELY WILL WIN THE CASE. HAVE YOUR NEW LLMD GET A COMPLETE RECOD OF YOUR CASE MEDICAL.
IF HE ALTERS THE RECORDS AFTER YOU GET THE MED RECORDS ,HE CAN GO TO JAIL!!!! MEDICAL RECORDS ARE CONSIDERED LEGAL DOCUMENTS AND CANNOT BE ALTERED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DOCDAVE
DOCDAVE
Posts: 1820 | From Boone and Southport, NC | Registered: Sep 2006
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posted
"Called BC/BS who said that I am not responsible for that bill.....as they have a contract with them.
Whatever is not covered under insurance is a doctor's write off (whatever that means).
I have sent this info to Quest several times, and now I am officially in "collection"."
Have BC/BS send you something in writing, saying that you don't owe the bill since Quest contracted with BC/BS. Then send Quest a "certified, return receipt requested" letter, with a copy of the statement from BC/BS, and tell them that if they turn you in to a collections agency, that you will pursue a "harrassment lawsuit agains them".
Then just sit back and forget about it. Posts: 66 | From AL, USA | Registered: Jan 2005
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
i know i shouldn't think such evil thoughts but hey what the heck?
i thik about all the good llmd's that really help people and are being persecuted and then this jerk of a doctor goes on merrily without a thing happening to him.
talk about unfair........
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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I have heard that he double bills people. Don't pay!!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
i guess what get's me is him charging 75 for an office visit then 250 for consultation and then 900 for lab work!! my gosh, charging my insurance company 900 for lab work practically every time i went in and i know for a dang fact that several times, i did not have it done, makes me wonder.
that and the fact that he actually yelled at me once in his office and told me to shut up!! he was verbally abusive.
i understand that this happened to others, so now, it's not just me.
i feel women should not go to this doctor.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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posted
I am seriously curious who this doctor may be? I've been researching several around Texas and that concerns me.
Some doc's just want to take advantage. I know of a doc who has had great reviews and I've talked with is staff and they seem great. But he wants $750 for the first appointment, not including labs.
WHAT THE HECK!!!!! Just to sit there and talk to me for an hour he wants $750 and because LLMD's are so scarce in Texas people pay that. I guess if I had the money I would too, but I still think it's horrible.
Randibear, don't pay a thing to that doc. DocDave knows his stuff. You pay just 5 cents of that bill and they can come after you. The burden of proof is on them, not you.
Posts: 94 | From Greenville, Tx | Registered: Apr 2007
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